Ahnung (pronounced ah-NUNG) is a rescue dog from Red Lake reservation. Her name means "star" in ojibway. A survivor of neglect and abuse, she is the north star for many ... teaching compassion, love, forgiveness and resilience. Ahnung is a registered therapy dog through Delta Society and volunteers with at-risk youth, in hospice and with cancer patients.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk our path."

~ Buddha

I've been called the 'Zen Dog' by many ... among many other sweet, sweet names :) No matter what life throws our way, I tell mom it will all be okay. The results of my lumpectomy from July 11th confirm that I have breast cancer ..... ""atypia is moderate to marked. The mitotic rate is high, ranging up to seven per high power field. Infiltrative growth is noted. Extensive zones of tumor necrosis are present ...." Mom took me to see a vet oncologist and because the tumor was taken out so quickly, was 2.0 cm, and was considered a low grade cancer (grade I) .... ("60% of dogs with grade I disease had local recurrence or metastasis within two years of initial excision") then mom was told that she could just monitor me closely for the next year. We have to go in and see a vet every 6 - 8 weeks to check for tumors and lumps along my mammary glands.

Now it's mom's turn to go in for surgery on Monday. She also has a lump in her breast ... there's a new lump in her left breast and she is scheduled for a lumpectomy. Just as she was right by my side, I am going to be right by her side. No matter what the doctors and pathologists say .... I tell mom, it will be okay.

We are in this together. We are on this path together. And when there is no path then together we can blaze through and create a new path .... and oh, I tell mom there should be lots of doggie burgers along the path for me ;-)

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Mom discovered a couple lumps near one of my nipples late Thursday night. I saw Dr. Vicki yesterday and she thinks I may have breast cancer (I keep telling mom not to worry though and that everything will be alright .. it's not working too well!!). I am having a lumpectomy done early Monday morning and Dr. Vicki says the results on whether it is or isn't cancer should come in next Friday or Saturday.

So this weekend mom is taking me everywhere with her. She also cancelled her business trip! She's super worried and i'm trying to tell her not to worry. Hmmm ... but maybe I should work this whole thing and get myself lots and lots of ice cream!! :)

About Me

I was abandoned in Oct 2008 with a litter of 8 puppies. Red Lake Rosie's Rescue up at Red Lake reservation took me in. I was then taken into Pet Haven's foster program ... and even with heartworm, lymes, coccidia, a gun shot wound and no front teeth (i ground my teeth down to my gums in search of food!) they took me in, cared for me,and loved me. In July, 2011 I was diagnosed with mammary cancer and had a lumpectomy. In April, 2012 I was diagnosed with a rare aggressive cancer, invasive adenosquamous carcinoma and had major surgery in my neck/back to remove the tumor. In November, 2012 we learned that the cancer has spread to my lungs. We tried chemo for a month and it didn't help so we stopped chemo at the end of December. So now, it's yummy raw whole food and a bunch of supplements and LOTS of love and play! But no worries,I'm still shining my star so brightly!
I am a Delta Society Therapy Dog and currently volunteer in hospice with mom.
My email address is:
ahnung.star@gmail.com